Flu season can begin as early as October and run as late as March. However, it is not uncommon for sporadic cases to appear all year long. As we are in December, you are at risk of catching the flu. And with the right measures, you can put up your best defense
First, we want to provide you with the best resources for the latest news on the flu:
- FluView, the weekly flu report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- The state flu activity report from the Ohio Department of Health
- The CDC’s Flu FAQ for the 2022-2023 season
What is the Flu?
- The flu is a contagious respiratory illness that’s caused by a virus that spreads through droplets from people who sneeze, cough or talk.
- You can have a mild or severe case and may or may not have the most common symptoms — fever, body aches, chills, cough, sore throat or a headache.
- Recovery time varies from a few days to up to two weeks.
What will we see this flu season?
“It’s hard to predict what a given flu season is going to be like because it’s such an unpredictable disease and can change so much,” says Laurie Hommema, MD, senior medical director of well-being at OhioHealth.
The flu season is going to look different as the coronavirus pandemic still effects much of what we do. Specifically, with the statistics surrounding the delta variant and the up-and-coming omicron variant, both the COVID vaccine and the annual flu vaccine are highly encouraged this year to protect yourself and your families from severe respiratory infections. Limited traveling, social distancing whenever possible, and wearing masks indoors in public are recommended this flu season.
The formulation of the flu vaccine is determined by World Health Organization scientists, who do their best to predict which strains of the flu might be active in a coming season. Two weeks after receiving the flu shot, antibodies form to help you fight the disease. The effectiveness of the flu vaccine is usually estimated at around 50 to 60 percent. The recommendations for this year’s flu vaccines – egg-based, cell-based, and recombinant vaccines – are available on the CDC Flu FAQ sheet
Data from the 2020 flu season is limited due to the pandemic and increased masking and social distancing.
Why is the flu so dangerous?
“The flu virus can get deep in your lungs. Your immune system responds and you get mucus and fluids, and then other bacteria grows and develops and causes pneumonia,” says Glenn Williams, MD, director of OhioHealth Corporate Onsite Clinics and Wellness Programs. “In some cases, that bacteria will get into the bloodstream and it causes something called sepsis, which goes to your organs, and that can cause you to die.”
More than 100 children nationwide died from the flu during the 2019 flu season. In the state of Ohio, more than 9,850 people were hospitalized with flu-related symptoms and four children died that flu season.
Last year saw significantly less hospitalizations and deaths attributed to the flu. Whether this is due to mask mandates and social distancing or decreased hospital and doctor visits for non-emergencies, flu statistics were hugely decreased. Williams says even otherwise healthy people can die from the flu, but those under 5 and over 65 face the greatest risk.
This flu season, we have both flu shots and COVID vaccines to help prevent respiratory infections. With the help of vaccines and continuing social distancing and mask wearing, we hope to keep flu hospitalizations and death statistics down this year as well.
Who should get a flu shot?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a flu shot for everyone 6 months and older. “You must be vaccinated if you are a child or you have children, if you’re elderly, or if you have underlying health issues,” Hommema says. “But it’s truly recommended that everyone’s vaccinated.”
If you haven’t received your flu shot yet, you can still get one from your primary care provider or at an OhioHealth Urgent Care location near you.
Who shouldn’t get the flu shot?
Children under 6 months old or people with life-threatening allergies to ingredients in the vaccine. Also, if you’re feeling ill, have an egg allergy or have had Guillain-Barre syndrome, talk to your doctor before having a flu shot.
Can the flu vaccine give me the flu?
It is impossible to get the flu from the vaccine. If you do end up contracting the flu after receiving the shot, it means you were either already exposed or you have a different strain.
This applies to the COVID vaccines as well.
Also, for those who have not gotten their flu shot or COVID-19 vaccine, it is safe to get multiple shots at the same time. The two vaccines do not impact one another, and both help prevent upper respiratory illnesses that can be more transmittable this time of year.
What do I do if I have the flu?
“The flu, like colds, is a virus,” explains Dr. Hommema. “Antibiotics won’t help, and taking one for conditions they can’t help builds up a resistance.”
Dr. Hommema recommends drinking a lot of fluids to stay hydrated and taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) to help with fever and body aches.
Flu warning signs:
With common colds, the flu, and COVID-19 to worry about, here’s some help on how to distinguish between them with some of the symptoms being so similar. If you have trouble breathing, a high fever (over 104 degrees) and can’t keep down fluids, don’t mess around. Those are emergency warnings that require a call to your primary care doctor or visit an OhioHealth Urgent Care. If you are seen within 48-hours of initial flu symptoms, you may be able to be prescribed Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate).
How else can I prevent the flu?
- Wash your hands. Make sure that everyone in the home is washing their hands with soap and water frequently throughout the day, as well as coughing into their elbow and not their hands. Here are some tips for teaching proper handwashing to your child. Remember: If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based sanitizer to clean your hands.
- Disinfect your home. Clean doorknobs, countertops, handles, remote controls, telephones, keyboards and toys with a diluted bleach solution or disinfectant wipes. The flu virus can live for up to 24 hours on those hard surfaces.
- Do the laundry. Wash clothes, bedsheets and towels in hot water often to kill germs, especially if someone sick has been using them. Germs thrive on wet surfaces, so make sure you are regularly cleaning your towels, sponges and dishrags.
- Run your humidifier. Studies have shown that flu germs survive longer and spread easier in dry conditions. Plus, using one in your home can help you breathe easier, especially when you’re sick.
- Designate a “sick room.” The flu spreads through coughs and sneezes and direct contact with sick people. If someone is sick in your home, keep them confined to a specific area and limit their contact to one caretaker to try to contain the virus. Have the ill person wear a mask, and others in the house can wear a mask as well.
If you think your symptoms are more than a cold, call your primary care doctor or visit an OhioHealth urgent care.
